Interdisciplinary aspects of Learning |1

Interdisciplinary Aspects of Learning:

Physics and Psychology

Yavoruk Oleg

Department of Physics and Technical Disciplines, Yugra State University, Russia

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Abstract

This study is all about the relationship of physics in Psychology. The article deals with

interdisciplinary aspects of learning in the case of physics and psychology. It describes the lab-

based academic course focused on: observation and experimentation; discovery of new scientific

facts; measurement; identification of errors; the study of psychological characteristics of people

(time perception, the reaction time, thresholds). The above techniques are commonly used by both

physicists and psychologists. Students are interested in these topics. They are very important, but

are excluded from traditional physics and psychology courses.

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Interdisciplinary Aspects of Learning:

Physics and Psychology

Most people hear the word 'physics' and run for cover. But it's not just for rocket scientists!

You are surrounded by physics all the time, and whether you realize it or not, you use physics

every day. Physics, the study of matter and energy, is an ancient and broad field of science.

The word “physics” comes from the Greek 'knowledge of nature,' and in general, the field

aims to analyze and understand the natural phenomena of the universe.

One thing that may come to mind when you think of physics is the many scientific laws,

which are statements describing phenomena that have been repeatedly tested and confirmed. This

is actually an important part of physics. Physicists perform and repeat experiments, sometimes ad

nauseam, to formulate these laws and explain how our universe works. These laws (such as gravity

and Newton's laws of motion) are so thoroughly tested that they are accepted as 'truths,' and they

can be used to help us predict how other things will behave.

Because physics explains natural phenomena in the universe, it's often considered to be the

most fundamental science. It provides a basis for all other sciences - without physics, you couldn't

have biology, chemistry, or anything else!

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychology is a multifaceted

discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health,

clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes.

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Psychology is really a very new science, with most advances happening over the past 150

years or so. However, its origins can be traced back to ancient Greece, 400 – 500 years BC. The

emphasis was a philosophical one, with great thinkers such as Socrates influencing Plato, who in

turn influenced Aristotle.

Philosophers used to discuss many topics now studied by modern psychology, such as

memory, free will, attraction etc.

In the early days of psychology there were two dominant theoretical perspectives. An

American psychologist named William James (1842-1910) developed an approach which came to

be known as functionalism. He argued that the mind is constantly changing and it is pointless to

look for the building blocks of experience.

Instead, focus should be on how and why an organism does something. It was suggested

that psychologists should look for the underlying cause of behavior and the mental the processes

involved. This emphasis on the causes and consequences of behavior has influenced contemporary

psychology.

Both experiment and theory play essential and complementary roles in physics. The

methods used in psychological research include observation, interviews, psychological testing,

laboratory experimentation, statistical analysis, etc. This paper discussion focuses on the study of

integrative lab-based (experimental) methods of these sciences. Experimental tests using humans

as subjects involve legal and ethical limitations. This leads to the existence of some procedural

difficulties of psychology using in the learning process.

Method

The Scientific Observation

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The first lab offered to students is “The Scientific Observation”. Observation is an

interdisciplinary research method commonly used on the one hand by physicists, chemists,

biologists, and on the other hand by psychologists, sociologists, etc. (both natural and humanitarian

sciences). This research technique involves observing objects in their natural environment (Usova,

2002). This method is often used in situations where experimental research is unrealistic.

Astronomy is a completely observational science: astronomers obviously cannot do experiments

on the heavens. Observation may be used in contrast with experimentation. The teacher presents

an object or phenomenon to students.

The report includes the following sections:

1. Time of the observation and information about the observer.

2. Purpose of the observation (it is formulated by a teacher or chosen by the students).

3. Description of the observing object.

4. Equipment of the observation (it may be selected by students).

5. Conditions of the observation.

6. Description of the observational procedure.

7. Results of the observation.

8. Analysis of results and conclusion from them.

The teacher explains that the plan can be used both in physics and psychology. Then the teacher

can ask the following questions about the observation.

1. What features has an observation as a method of scientific research?

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2. What is the difference between experimentation and observation?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of observation in physics and psychology?

4. What techniques may researchers utilize to collect data of the observation?

5. What are examples of the observation in natural and humanitarian sciences?

Participants

This study uses the help of the student and also the teachers to gather information. The

researchers use experimentation to generate outcomes that helps them with this study.

Results
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Conclusion with the study

In order for us to get rid the problem is using psychological thinking which is also related

to the science of physics. For example, to answer a certain question, we must know the formula.

Interdisciplinary is the distinguishing feature of modern science. There are many interdisciplinary

issues that can only be solved by several disciplines together. These are very topical issues and

they are always very interesting to young people. The use of psychological characteristics of

people in the study of experimental methods leads to the sharp increase of interest to the study of

physics. But physicists and psychologists have never met in the classroom; they discuss different

issues without affecting overall. For young people the most interesting problems are associated

with radically different branches of knowledge, such as physics and psychology. In our cases, the

solution of the interest problem by the interdisciplinary course use is more effectively than by
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disciplinary one only. Students are extremely attracted by unusual labs and their results. The study

of nature is a very complicated process, and sometimes it is very difficult to tell exactly to which

area the source of the problem belongs: physics or psychology. This is also true of such research

techniques as observation, discovery of new scientific facts, measurement, identification of errors.

These issues are very important, but are excluded from classical physics and psychology courses.

Students get acquainted with them, performing the above interdisciplinary labs.

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